Inadequate health literacy and higher healthcare utilisation among older adults in Switzerland: cross-sectional evidence from a population-based study.

Background And Aim: Population ageing in Switzerland poses significant challenges, including for the healthcare system. Inadequate health literacy can hinder individuals' ability to seek appropriate treatments and navigate the healthcare system efficiently. This study explores the associations between health literacy and the number of consultations with general practitioners and healthcare specialists in a population-based sample of adults aged 58+ in Switzerland.

Can ChatGPT Provide Useful Guidance to Assess the Current State of and Future Priorities for Aging Research in the Social Sciences?

The multifaceted implications of global population aging require regular assessments of the current state of aging-related social science research and the identification of potential future research priorities in this important area. Given the multi-, inter-, and transdisciplinary nature of this field, such assessments typically require the involvement of experts from diverse backgrounds to ensure a comprehensive picture and to synthesize understudied and newly emerging topics into a future research agenda. We explored to what extent ChatGPT (version GPT-4, OpenAI) might be a useful tool for synthesizing the current state of research and identifying promising future research areas, which could feed into expert panel discussions for priority setting.

Cognitive functioning and sustained internet use amid the COVID-19 pandemic: longitudinal evidence from older adults in Switzerland.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between pre-pandemic objective and subjective cognitive functioning and sustained Internet use during the pandemic among older adults in Switzerland. Data from 1299 respondents of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) in 2019/2020 and a supplementary technology use questionnaire during the pandemic in 2021 were used. Cognitive functioning was assessed in 2019/2020 through objective measures (delayed and immediate memory, verbal fluency) and self-rated memory.

Association Between Visual Acuity and Prospective Fall Risk in Generally Healthy and Active Older Adults: The 3-Year DO-HEALTH Study.

Objective: Although aging has a strong impact on visual acuity (VA) and falls, their interaction is understudied in generally healthy older adults. This study aimed to examine if and to what extent baseline VA is associated with an increased risk of all and injurious falls over 3 years in generally healthy community-dwelling older adults.

Design: Observational analysis of DO-HEALTH, a double-blind, randomized controlled trial.

Overestimation of Survival Rates of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Is Associated with Higher Preferences to Be Resuscitated: Evidence from a National Survey of Older Adults in Switzerland.

Background: Many widely used advance directives templates include direct questions on individuals' preferences for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in case of decision-making incapacity during medical emergencies. However, as knowledge of the survival rates of CPR is often limited, individuals' advance decisions on CPR may be poorly aligned with their preferences if false beliefs about the survival rates of CPR shape stated preferences for CPR.

Methods: We analyzed nationally representative data from 1,469 adults aged 58+ y who responded to wave 8 (2019/2020) of the Swiss version of the Survey on Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) to assess the partial association between knowledge of CPR survival rates and stated preferences for CPR using multivariable probit regression models that adjust for social, health, and regional characteristics.

Relationship Between Health Literacy and Unhealthy Lifestyle Behaviours in Older Adults Living in Switzerland: Does Social Connectedness Matter?

To investigate the association between health literacy (HL) and unhealthy lifestyle behaviours and to explore the moderating role of social connectedness in this relationship in older adults in Switzerland. We used data from 1,455 respondents to Wave 8 of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Associations between the number of unhealthy lifestyle behaviours (smoking, risky alcohol consumption, suboptimal daily consumption of fruits/vegetables, lack of vigorous physical activity) and HL were examined using multivariable Poisson regression models, which allowed for interactions between HL and social connectedness to test the moderation hypothesis.

Development and validation of a subjective end-of-life health literacy scale.

Personal health literacy is the ability of an individual to find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for oneself and others. The end of life is commonly characterized by the occurrence of one or several diseases, the use of many different types of healthcare services, and a need to make complex medical decisions that may involve challenging tradeoffs, such as choices between quality and length of life. Although end-of-life care issues concern most people at some point in life, individuals' competencies to deal with those questions have rarely been explored.

Developing a framework for the implementation of recommendations for lifestyle factors for people with RMDs across Europe: assessment of current materials and implementation needs.

Lifestyle factors (such as diet, physical activity or smoking habits, among others) are known to influence the progression of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). Despite contemporary improvements in RMD care, the management of lifestyle factors is suboptimal. In the context of a recent European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) task force, existing informative materials regarding lifestyle factors for people with RMDs were collected from national organisations across European countries.

Grip strength cut-points from the Swiss DO-HEALTH population.

Background: While grip strength (GS) is commonly assessed using a Dynamometer, the Martin Vigorimeter was proposed as an alternative method especially in older adults. However, its reference values for Swiss older adults are missing. We therefore aimed to derive sex- and age-specific GS cut-points for the dominant and non-dominant hand (DH; NDH) using the Martin Vigorimeter.

Association between iron deficiency and hospitalization rate in community-dwelling older adults: A 3-year prospective observational study of DO-HEALTH.

Background: Iron deficiency (ID) is associated with negative health outcomes in older adults. However, data on the impact of ID on the number of hospitalizations and length of hospital stay (LOS) is lacking.

Objective: To explore the associations between baseline ID and the number of hospitalizations and between baseline ID and at least one LOS ≥5 days in community-dwelling older adults.

Association between multiple chronic conditions and insufficient health literacy: cross-sectional evidence from a population-based sample of older adults living in Switzerland.

Background: Health literacy is the ability to find, understand, assess, and apply health information. Individuals suffering from multiple chronic conditions have complex healthcare needs that may challenge their health literacy skills. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between multimorbidity, the number of chronic conditions, and health literacy levels in a sample of adults aged 58+ in Switzerland.

Association Between Multimorbidity and Rate of Falls: A 3-Year 5-Country Prospective Study in Generally Healthy and Active Community-Dwelling Adults Aged ≥70 Years.

Objective: To examine the association between the baseline number of chronic diseases and multimorbidity with regard to the incidence of all and injurious falls over 3 years among European community-dwelling older adults.

Design: Observational analysis of DO-HEALTH, a double-blind, randomized controlled trial.

Setting And Participants: Multicenter trial with 7 European centers: Zurich, Basel, Geneva (Switzerland), Berlin (Germany), Innsbruck (Austria), Toulouse (France), and Coimbra (Portugal), including 2157 community-dwelling adults aged 70 years and older without any major health events in the 5 years prior to enrollment, sufficient mobility, and good cognitive status.

Association of vocational interventions and work-related factors with disease and work outcomes in people with RMDs: A systematic review.

Objective: A EULAR taskforce was convened to develop recommendations for lifestyle behaviours amongst people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). This paper reviews the literature on work-related factors and disease-specific outcomes for people with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus, axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), psoriatic arthritis, systemic sclerosis (SSc) and gout.

Methods: Two separate systematic literature reviews (SLRs) were conducted.

Effects of diet on the outcomes of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs): systematic review and meta-analyses informing the 2021 EULAR recommendations for lifestyle improvements in people with RMDs.

Background: A EULAR taskforce was convened to develop recommendations for lifestyle behaviours in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). In this paper, the literature on the effect of diet on the progression of RMDs is reviewed.

Methods: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses were performed of studies related to diet and disease outcomes in seven RMDs: osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus, axial spondyloarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, systemic sclerosis and gout.

Effects of physical exercise and body weight on disease-specific outcomes of people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs): systematic reviews and meta-analyses informing the 2021 EULAR recommendations for lifestyle improvements in people with RMDs.

Background: A European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) taskforce was convened to develop recommendations for lifestyle behaviours in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). This paper reviews the literature on the effects of physical exercise and body weight on disease-specific outcomes of people with RMDs.

Methods: Three systematic reviews were conducted to summarise evidence related to exercise and weight in seven RMDs: osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), psoriatic arthritis, systemic sclerosis and gout.

Smoking, alcohol consumption and disease-specific outcomes in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs): systematic reviews informing the 2021 EULAR recommendations for lifestyle improvements in people with RMDs.

Background: A EULAR taskforce was convened to develop recommendations for lifestyle behaviours in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). The aim of this paper was to review the literature on the relationship between smoking and alcohol consumption with regard to RMD-specific outcomes.

Methods: Two systematic reviews were conducted to identify systematic reviews and meta-analyses, published between 2013 and 2018, related to smoking and alcohol consumption in seven RMDs: osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus, axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), systemic sclerosis (SSc) and gout.

Prevalence and incidence of iron deficiency in European community-dwelling older adults: an observational analysis of the DO-HEALTH trial.

Background And Aim: Iron deficiency is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in older adults. However, data on its prevalence and incidence among older adults is limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and incidence of iron deficiency in European community-dwelling older adults aged ≥ 70 years.

2021 EULAR recommendations regarding lifestyle behaviours and work participation to prevent progression of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases.

Objectives: A European League Against Rheumatism taskforce was convened to review the literature and develop recommendations on lifestyle behaviours for rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs).

Methods: Six lifestyle exposures (exercise, diet, weight, alcohol, smoking, work participation) and seven RMDs (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, axial spondyloarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, gout) were considered. The taskforce included health professionals in rheumatology, geriatricians, epidemiologists, public health experts, people with RMDs and exposure domain experts.

Effects of vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, and a simple home strength exercise program on fall prevention: the DO-HEALTH randomized clinical trial.

Background: The roles of vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, and home exercise on fall prevention among generally healthy and active older adults are unclear.

Objectives: We tested the effects of daily supplemental vitamin D, daily supplemental marine omega-3s fatty acids, and a simple home exercise program (SHEP), alone or in combination, on the incidences of total and injurious falls among generally healthy older adults.

Methods: We performed a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial-design randomized controlled trial among 2157 community-dwelling adults aged 70 years and older, who had no major health events in the 5 years prior to enrolment, recruited from Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France, and Portugal between December 2012 and November 2014.

Iron deficiency and biomarkers of inflammation: a 3-year prospective analysis of the DO-HEALTH trial.

Background: The longitudinal association between iron deficiency and inflammatory biomarkers levels has not been fully explored among relatively healthy older adults.

Aims: To assess whether iron deficiency at baseline and at any yearly follow-up time point, with or without anemia, was associated with changes from baseline in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels over 3 years.

Methods: This is a post-hoc observational analysis of DO-HEALTH, a double-blind, randomized controlled trial including 2157 European community-dwelling adults age 70+.

Trajectory analysis combining pain and physical function in individuals with knee and hip osteoarthritis: results from the French KHOALA cohort.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to identify homogeneous subgroups of knee and/or hip OA patients with distinct trajectories of the combination of pain and physical function (PF) over time and to determine the baseline factors associated with these trajectories.

Methods: We used data from the Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis Long-term Assessment (KHOALA) cohort, a French population-based cohort of 878 patients with symptomatic knee and/or hip OA. Pain and PF were measured annually over 5 years with the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 questionnaire.

What Have We Learned From Trajectory Analysis of Clinical Outcomes in Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis Before Surgery?

Objective: The past decade has seen a rapid increase in the publication of studies using trajectory analysis to describe the course of osteoarthritis (OA) symptoms. The aim of this systematic review was to describe the distinct trajectories for OA outcomes and the predictors of these trajectories.

Methods: Medline and PsycInfo databases were searched for relevant studies.

What Have We Learned About the Course of Clinical Outcomes After Total Knee or Hip Arthroplasty?

Objective: To review homogeneous subgroups with a distinct course of clinical outcomes, to review the course of clinical outcomes in the study population as a whole, where applicable, and to determine the patient characteristics associated with the distinct courses after total knee or hip arthroplasty.

Methods: MEDLINE and PsycInfo databases were searched for relevant studies. Selection criteria were patients ≥18 years old, patients at high risk of or diagnosed with knee or hip osteoarthritis, studies aiming to identify homogeneous subgroups with distinct trajectories or describe the mean change of clinical outcomes, and methodology and analysis designed to identify trajectories (longitudinal design and repeated measures).